Multiple Births, 1980–2012

The rising incidence of multiple births over the last three decades has
been associated with two related trends: the older age at childbearing
(older mothers are more likely than younger mothers to conceive multiples
spontaneously) and increasing use of fertility therapies. A study of
multiples born in the year 2000 estimated that natural conception
accounted for 67% of the twins and only 18% of the triplets and greater
multiples born that year.

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2009

2012

Number of births:

Twins

68,339

77,102

93,865

96,736

118,916

121,246

125,134

128,665

132,219

133,122

137,217

131,024

Triplets and higher multiples

1,337

1,925

3,028

4,973

7,325

7,471

7,401

7,663

7,275

6,694

6,340

4,919

Triplets

n.a.

n.a.

2,830

4,551

6,742

6,885

6,898

7,110

6,750

6,208

5,905

4,598

Quadruplets

n.a.

n.a.

185

365

506

501

434

468

439

418

355

276

Quintuplets and higher
multiples

n.a.

n.a.

13

57

77

85

69

85

86

68

80

45

Birth rate:

Triplets (per 100,000 live births)

136.1

158.4

175.5

170.3

166.1

171.0

171.5

173.8

164.2

150.0

153.5*

124.4*

Quadruplet and higher multiples (per 100,000 live births)

16.5

15.2

17.9

14.6

14.4

14.6

12.5

13.5

12.8

11.7

*

*

Note: data for multiples birth rates for 2009, 2012 are for triplets and higher.

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, National Vital Statistics Reports.